Written by Susannah Keogh Beyond the acute vulnerabilities of the koala and the challenges of safeguarding the species, there are of course beautiful stories of resilience and hope that we feel are equally important to share, Enya’s is one such story. Whilst nowhere near the exceptional case of Wendy who lived to the ripe old … Read more
Koala Stories
Polar Star – shining bright in the koala world
Polar Star is one of the most adorable and interesting discoveries by Friends of the Koala’s Project Officers, Ms. Maria Matthes, and Ms. Ina Egermann, during their regular koala health checks for the fantastic Friends of the Koala project “Hanging out at East Coraki: koalas thriving in an agricultural landscape,” supported with funding from the … Read more
The wild story of Wendy the Koala
One of the most time-consuming roles within koala care is the art of hand-raising a baby koala, known as a joey. Most joeys are in home care for months at a time. In home care, joeys need regular 24/7 care, with the youngest feeding every two hours – just like a newborn! Our volunteer koala … Read more
Press release – Rescued near death, koala joey Hobi makes a full recovery at the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital
Lismore – Northern Rivers, NSW — A koala discovered cold and alone under a bush has made an astonishing recovery at the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital, operated by Friends of the Koala and newly renamed to better reflect the organisation’s long-standing comprehensive approach to koala conservation across the Northern Rivers region. Hobi was found as … Read more
The world loses a beloved koala – Ember
Today seems a little darker as we bring you news that one of the world’s well-known and much-loved koalas has sadly died. Many of you will remember Ember, the iconic symbol of the 2019/2020 bushfires both nationally and internationally. In December 2019, Ember was rescued by Friends of the Koala rescue volunteers Bill and Ros, … Read more
August at Koala Kindy
We have been extremely busy at Friends of the Koala during August at Koala Kindy with a large number of admissions to our hospital and care centre. This is partly due to this particular time of year in Australia, more koalas are on the move, spring is in the air. However, there is a larger … Read more
June at Koala Kindy
It has been all go at Friends of the Koala lately, lots of comings and goings but not so many young koalas, as the ones we had in care have grown up and flown the nest (climbed the tree). It’s a good thing though, the fewer orphaned joeys we see the better, it means they … Read more
May at Koala Kindy
The monthly hit you’ve all been waiting for – a small dose of koala kindy cuteness! Our furry friends are happy with the cooler weather lately and more are off to plantation which is fantastic news but we also have more sad news. Pudding and Waratah These gorgeous girls are loving plantation life, especially Pudding! … Read more
Celebrating our 2000th koala release on Wild Koala Day
May 3rd 2023 is Wild Koala Day, a special day to celebrate wild koalas, their habitats and raise awareness of their needs. As most of you know, we rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned koalas in the Northern Rivers, always with the aim of releasing them back into the wild. What better way to … Read more
Happy Mother’s Day to natural born mama – Charlotte
Charlotte came to Friends of the Koala back in 2020 when she was just eight months old. It soon became obvious to our vets that Charlotte may have hip dysplasia as she couldn’t jump like the other koalas. After further assessments the diagnosis was confirmed and Friends of the Koala became Charlotte’s forever home. Hip … Read more
